Nikola's Torment
by KatherineBud15
Summary: Nikola Tesla can't stand John making Helen giggle while he's trying to work. -Set in old Victorian London while the Five were at Oxford.
1. Chapter 1

_Part I : Misery_

Giggling interrupted his concentration. He glanced up from his workbook.

Helen stood at one of the experiment tables near the wall stirring some substances. John was leaning against the table facing the wall, his face was turned towards Helen; his arms were crossed.

Helen was smiling; John was quietly saying something to her so the others wouldn't hear.  
>He must have said something funny because she had to stifle her laughter by putting her face on his shoulder.<p>

Nikola looked at James and Nigel. They had noticed them also. They smiled at Helen and John then looked at each other and smiled.

Nikola looked back down to his work. He decided to just ignore it.

A few moments went by and no sound interrupted him. He was just getting back into his work when-

"_Oh stop it John!_" And loud laughing disrupted him once again. He looked up.  
>John and Helen were laughing hysterically at something he'd said.<p>

Nikola glanced down, shutting his eyes. His hands gripped the table tightly.

More giggling. His blood began to boil.

His head spun as he took some of the experiment tubes and clanged them together violently.  
>All the giggling stopped. He felt all eyes in the room on him. He ignored it.<p>

He continued his work peacefully without any distractions.


	2. Part II

_Part II : Chelsea Hotel No. 2_

That day Helen left around nine and John left ten minutes after her. For a couple of genius' they were pretty stupid.

All three men knew that Helen and John were seeing each other. They were trying to keep it a secret but were doing it poorly.

It was disgusting. Them sneaking around like that behind everyone's back. Nigel and James were obviously hap- no, _overjoyed_ that Helen and John were together.

But not Nikola. No. He was very upset by it. But he had the decency to suppress it.

Well, today was an exception. But he had to be careful; he didn't want anyone to think he had _feelings_.

Nigel and James left to go to the pub around the corner. They wanted Nikola to accompany them, but he declined. He still had work to do.

After they left Nikola worked for a few more hours. By twelve he was losing concentration. By twelve-thirty he was cleaning up.

He blew out the candle on his table and stood there alone in the darkness. The only light was dim and was cast by the lamp light outside from the window.

Why would Helen find anything interesting within John Druitt? He was just a poor poet studying at Oxford. He barely had a background. His parents were poor, his grandparents were poorer, and his great grandparents were even poorer.  
>Why would a rich good looking young woman want that grungy ponytailed freak? He just couldn't understand the logic to the attraction.<p>

They all worked together. They were all geniuses. Helen would never agree to court Nigel or James. They were two dear brothers to her. But she could court him, Nikola Tesla.

He would shower her with gifts. He would take her to the opera to see Tristan und Iseult. He would take her out to the most elegant dinners. Then after he was sure he'd captured her heart, he would go to her father and ask for her hand. As much as he and her father disliked each other, he was sure he would make an exception for the happiness of his beloved daughter.  
>And by agreeing to let them marry, that would make Nikola's happiness.<p>

Every day since Helen and Nikola met, he'd fallen more and more in love with her. And to make her Mrs. Nikola Tesla would bring him such joy no poet could describe. No opera could lift him up as high as her saying _yes_.

Nikola smiled at the thought. He walked over to the window and looked out.

His eyes gleamed as they looked out onto the empty courtyard. The lamplight seemed to dance as it shined on his smiling face.  
>The only thing that moved was a small stray dog who was sniffing along the sidewalk.<p>

He could hear Big Ben in the distance chiming one o'clock. He took in a full deep breath and let it out slowly.

Two figures came out of the Oxford building arm in arm. He immediately recognized them.

Helen and John were walking along the courtyard. John stopped and pulled Helen to him in a passionate kiss. They broke and looked into each other's eyes lovingly, then continued walking.

Nikola's smile had faded long ago. His face had turned into the look of utmost misery.

His chest began to ache around his heart. Tears threatened to break the barrier in his soul.  
>Nikola slid a hand over his face. He took another long deep breath, but this time the walls in his chest tightened around it. He let it out slowly and painfully.<p>

He knew Helen would never marry him. Her heart belonged to another.


End file.
